stinky shoes!!

if your shoes smell, the problem is more than likely, your feet. an overgrowth of bacteria or foot fungus will continue to ruin your shoes until you get rid of the root cause of the smell. i have heard from other homeopaths that this problem can be eliminated by taking zinc supplements. ask at a vitamin or nutritional supplement store or check a website like vitacost for the exact dosage. an over the counter fungicide like fungi-cure, or johnson's athlete's foot remedy can help, especially if your toenails are dark and mishapen. you should also wash your feet daily with soap and water, and dry thoroughly, especially between the toes. you can sprinkle baking soda, cornstarch, or baby powder on your feet to absorb sweat and odor. you can also use a 50/50 solution of either peroxide and water, or white distilled vinegar and water to soak your feet in after you have washed them. they are both natural antibacterials. as for neutralizing the odor in your shoes, the one thing you should do is to let the shoes dry thoroughly between wearing, if you can. sneakers especially are notorious for holding onto moisture and odors. switch up and give them a chance to air out and dry out, preferably outside in the sunshine. you can put little bags of activated charcoal inside the shoes to absob the smells. or you can buy odor eaters insoles to wear inside the shoes. you can also wipe the insides of the shoes with peroxide as well, letting them dry thoroughly before wearing. needless to say, the best thing you can do to control, and eventually eliminate the problem is to wash your feet often with an antibacterial soap, keep your feet as dry as possible, and change your socks often.

I read once that if you leave them out in the sun the sunlight will kill the bacteria that is making the shoes smell. I guess if it is winter where you are that might not be possible. You might be better off just throwing them out and getting some new ones.